Loading platform

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a loading platform for mounting on a transport vehicle, having a loading flap pivotable between a substantially vertical position lying against the vehicle and a lowered, practically horizontal position, and at least one actuating member which engages on the supporting side of the loading flap for pivoting around a hinge point and which is provided with a drive assembly for controlling the orientation thereof, wherein in the lowered position the distance between the point of the actuating member located furthest from the supporting side and the supporting side of the loading flap can be reduced by the drive assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a loading platform for mounting on a transportvehicle, comprising a loading flap pivotable between a substantiallyvertical position lying against the vehicle and a lowered, practicallyhorizontal position.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Such a loading platform is applied on a large scale in combination withfor instance trucks. Using such a loading platform freight can be placedon the lowered loading platform, whereafter the loading flap and freightplaced thereon is moved until the supporting side thereof is situated atthe height of the loading floor of the truck. The freight can then beplaced in simple manner in the truck. The loading flap can subsequentlyalso be used to close the truck, for which purpose it is moved to asubstantially vertical position lying against the vehicle. Unloading ofthe truck takes place in reverse manner. The loading platform has theimportant advantage that it renders superfluous lifting means forplacing cargo in and removing it from a transport vehicle. A drawback ofexisting loading platforms however consists of a comparativelyvoluminous construction of the loading flap, whereby in the lowered,practically horizontal position at least a part of the supporting sideof the loading flap is located at a distance from the ground. Achamfered loading flap makes it possible to move the freight on and offthe loading flap. However, when freight is placed onto the loading flapa determined resistance has to be overcome. In use this means that forinstance heavy roller containers must be pushed by a number of peopleonto the loading flap. Another drawback occurs when the loading flap islowered. As soon as the loading flap is fully lowered, a freight placedthereon can slide/run off the loading flap. In order to prevent this theload has to be held back by a device or by a person.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention has for its object to provide a loading platform withwhich in the lowered position the loading flap can be placed more flatlyon the ground than is the case with the loading flaps known up to thepresent time.

The invention provides for this purpose a loading platform of the typestated in the preamble comprising at least one actuating member whichengages on the supporting side of the loading flap for pivoting round ahinge point and which is provided with drive means for controlling theorientation thereof, wherein in the lowered position the distancebetween the point of the actuating member located furthest from thesupporting side and the supporting side of the loading flap can bereduced by the drive means. The actuating member connected hingedly tothe loading flap serves in the substantially vertical position of theloading flap lying against the vehicle as arm for exerting a closingforce on the loading flap. In the practically horizontal, loweredposition of the loading flap the actuating member is howeverdisplaceable such that it protrudes downward from the supporting side ofthe loading flap to a lesser extent (or no longer does so at all) thanin the position of the loading flap lying against the vehicle.Displacing the actuating member makes it possible to place thesupporting side of the loading flap in much flatter position close tothe ground. This provides the sought after functionality without loss ofthe positive properties of the loading platforms already known in theprior art.

The actuating member is preferably also connected to the loading flap bymeans of a coupling member at a distance from the hinge point with theloading flap. This coupling member is preferably connected to theloading flap for movement along a guide or to the actuating member formovement along a guide. Another preferred embodiment is characterized inthat the coupling member is a member with adjustable length. Thesesupporting variants of the loading flap also enable control of theorientation of the loading flap by controlling the orientation of theactuating member. The loading flap is controlled by controlling theactuating member.

The actuating member is preferably connected for pivoting round a secondhinge point to a support arm movably connected to the transportingmeans. The support arm enables vertical displacement of the loadingflap.

In the preferred embodiment of the loading platform the first and secondhinge point coincide. This embodiment is structurally simple tomanufacture.

Another preferred embodiment is characterized in that the drive meansconsist of a first drive for causing the support arm to move relative tothe vehicle and a second drive for causing the actuating member to moverelative to the support arm. The two drives provide sufficient controloptions for the desired freedom of movement of the loading flap.

The drive means are preferably hydraulically driven cylinders. Acomparatively heavy load on the loading flap does not cause problems fora hydraulic drive.

In the preferred embodiment the actuating member is provided with aroller element at the greatest possible distance from the loading flap.When the actuating member is pivoted away in the lowered position of theloading platform, the actuating member then rolls over the ground. Thisreduces the force required to displace the actuating member. Wearresulting from displacing of the actuating member will also diminish.

Yet another preferred embodiment is characterized in that the loadingflap is substantially a flat plate. A flat plate in particular can beplaced on the ground such that the supporting side thereof can be placedat a short distance from and parallel to the ground.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be further elucidated with reference to thenon-limitative embodiments shown in the following figures Herein:

FIG. 1 shows a partly cut away perspective view of a loading platformaccording to the invention in a substanially tially vertical positionlying against the vehicle,

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the loading platform of FIG. 1 insubstantially vertical position lying against the vehicle,

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the loading platform of FIG. 1 and 2in horizontal position lying at the height of the loading floor of thevehicle,

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the loading platform of the foregoingfigures in lowered position placed just above the ground,

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of the loading platform of the foregoingfigures in lowered position supporting partially on the ground,

FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of the loading platform of the foregoingfigures in flat position fully supported by the ground,

FIG. 7 is a schematic side view of a part of an alternative loadingplatform, and

FIG. 8 is a schematic side view of another, partly shown alternativeloading platform.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a loading platform 2 mounted on a truck 1. Loading platform2 consists of a loading flap 3 to which two actuating members 5 aremounted on the supporting side for pivoting round hinge points 4. Eachactuating member 5 is also connected to loading flap 3 by means of acoupling member 6. The coupling members 6 are displaceable relative toloading flap 3 along guides 7 connected to loading flap 3. The actuatingmembers 5 are connected to two support arms 10 for pivoting round asecond hinge point 9 with interposing of an angle section 8. The figurealso shows two first drive cylinders 11 for causing support arms 10 tomove and two second drive cylinders 12 for causing the actuating members5 to pivot relative to support arms 10. In broken lines the loadingplatform 2' is shown in the fully lowered situation and placed on theground, as further elucidated in FIG. 6.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the loading platform 2. Also shown clearlyis a loading floor 13 of the truck 1.

In FIG. 3 the loading flap 3 is displaced relative to the situation ofFIG. 2 such that the supporting side of loading flap 3 lies horizontallyat the height of loading floor 13.

In FIG. 4 the loading platform 2 is lowered to a position close to theground 14. For this purpose the support arm 10 is displaced by the firstdrive cylinder 11. During the movement of the loading flap 3 the seconddrive cylinder 12 will ensure, synchronously with the first drivecylinder 11, a constant horizontal position of loading flap 3. Theactuating member 5 now makes contact with the ground 14.

In FIG. 5 actuating member 5 is tilted slightly by making shorter thesecond drive cylinder 12. A part of loading flap 3 will thereby come torest on the ground 14. In order to allow the actuating member 5 to reston the ground 14 the first drive cylinder 11 is also made a littleshorter. Thus far the operation of the loading platform 2 corresponds toa very large extent with already existing platforms.

In FIG. 6 the actuating member 5 is rotated further round hinge point 4by the second drive cylinder 12. Actuating member 5 comprises a rollerelement 15 whereby it is displaceable over the ground 14 relativelysimply. The coupling member 6 herein also slides in the guide 7. Becauseactuating member 5 is now pivoted away beneath loading flap 3 and thesecond drive cylinder 11 is further retracted, the loading flap 3 cannow be placed completely flat on the ground 14.

FIG. 7 shows a variant wherein a coupling member 16 is formed by anelement of adjustable length. The coupling member 16 does not in thiscase have to be fixed using a guide. The above described hinge points 4and 9 also coincide in a common hinge point 17. A comparatively simpleactuating member 18 can now replace the above shown actuating member 5.The operation of loading platform 19 is however wholly comparable withthat of the above shown loading platform 2. In a possible furthervariant the second drive cylinder 12 can be omitted and the element ofadjustable length 16 also functions as second drive. This alternative isotherwise not shown in a figure.

In the variant finally shown in FIG. 8, a coupling member 20 is providedwith a guide 21 on the side facing toward the actuating member 5. Thisvariant only differs very slightly from the variant shown in FIGS. 1-6.

I claim:
 1. A loading platform for mounting on a transport vehicle,comprising:a loading flap movable between a substantially verticalposition lying against the vehicle and a lowered, substantiallyhorizontal position; at least one actuating member which is pivotablearound a first hinge axis connected to a supporting side of the loadingflap; a support arm having one end configured to connect to thetransport vehicle and the other end pivotable around a second hinge axisconnected to the actuating member; first drive means for moving thesupport arm relative to the vehicle; second drive means connected to theactuating member for controlling the orientation of the actuatingmember; and a coupling member having a first end pivotally connected tothe actuating member spaced from the first hinge axis and a second endpivotally connected to the loading flap, wherein the first and secondhinge axes are spaced from one another.
 2. The loading platform asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling member is connected to theloading flap for movement along a guide substantially parallel to theloading flap.
 3. The loading platform as claimed in claim 1, wherein thecoupling member is connected to the actuating member for movement alonga guide substantially parallel to the coupling member.
 4. The loadingplatform as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling member is a memberof adjustable length.
 5. The loading platform as claimed in claim 1,wherein the first and second drive means include hydraulically drivencylinders.
 6. The loading platform as claimed in claim 1, wherein theactuating member includes a roller element.
 7. The loading platform asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the loading flap is a substantially flatplate.